My ACL Hisrtory and Diclofenac issue

Hi everyone !!

Last May 9th I broke my left ACL and Meniscus during a Basketball Game, I'm 3rd DAN Blackbelt in TKD, 1st DAN in Hapkido, Played in Soccer, and Basketball Leagues, Daily Runner and my trasnsportation in the city was in a bicycle (you should see the Doctor's Face when I told this to him) .

Here in Mexico one of the best places for a surgery is the National Rehab center (INR) i was scheduled to be operated at June 14. My surgeon is a really experienced guy, he claims to perform 8 ACL recons/week, he told me he will use my hamstring and bioabsorvable retroscrews. The meniscus was repaired using a FastFix System, I was awake and saw all my surgery...

The hours before the surgery when the anaestethia gone were really painful, and the first week was ok, the weeks 2,3 & 4 were the most difficult due to pain, stiffness and swelling, i was instructed to not bear weigth due to the meniscal fix. I attendet to daily PT sessions since the 3rd week. Diclofenac was prescribed to me and also ketorolac in cases of extreme pain episodes.

Weeks 5 & 6 were less difficult and i returned to my work at the office , finally at the 6th week , the doctor told me that was time to start bearing weigth, initially with 2 crutches, then only one and finally none.

Actually I slightly limp, use only one crutch , have full extension and 120° Flexion but The diclofenac issue is that if i stop taking the pill for two nights, the following 2 days i fall to 90 grades of flexion and loose 10 grades of extension, the pain , stifness and mainly the swelling comes back and I limp much more !!. then i take the pill and in a lapse of 8 hours i recover mi advances... incredible isn´t it??

The problem is that obviously i can´t live forever with diclofenac It will damage my stomach, liver and wallet

What experience do u have with antiinflamatories and its long term usage?
Any comment will be appreciated

Marco Antonio Avila
Mexico D.F.